KANYE

I've been listening to Late Registration for about two weeks straight now: at home on the computer, in my car on disc repeat. (thanks bro!) The sophomore album is almost always a piece of shit and everyone including myself had doubts about Kanye's. College Dropout had some hot songs---Through the Wire being my personal fav'rite (gotta say that last word Houston, TX style)---but Late Registration is fucking nast-ay! Sure he might be an arrogant "international asshole," but check it, as the shit-est hiphop producer in the biz, he could've just made the record all on his own and still go plat a bunch of times, but Brother West didn't do that, no he didn't, Brother West brought on a white dude best known for his work w/ an uberfaggy singer/songwriter/subscriber-to-Opera-News and a petulant shadowboxing babe and gave this guy, Jon Brion, co-producer credits on I think all them joints, which not only turns out to a brilliant move but also in efect sort of puts all those I-hate-Kanye-cause-he's-so-full-of-himself haters to bed. Who cares if an artist is a cock as long as he can back it up? And is he really such a cock if he, the reigning champ of hiphop production, thought his music would benefit from having another producer brought on to complete the show? That's what bothered me about the NYTimes blurb: JPareles get over it. Go join your fuck buddy Neil Strauss and spitroast Courtney Love. You know you want to. In any case, after about the 50th listen or two, I think there are about 5 near-perfect to perfect numbers and not a boner among the rest. The guest spots do their job: I'm excited for Paul Wall's debut in the fall and I was reminded how brilliant and weird Cam'ron can be when he doesn't have to make no sense whatsoever. On the other hand, I do want to tell Kanye that Brandy is OVER. She was over 10 years ago Kanye. But nice one w/ that guy from Maroon 5. Just get the record and let me know what you think. Oh in addition to Late Registration, pick up my boy's band OK GO's new disc, OH NO. The shit's gonna rot your teeth but let's get real, we all need new ones anyway.

In other news, school's in session and last week I just wasn't into it. Not happy to be back on campus. Couldn't share the enthusiasm of some of my classmates. Sort of blah. Yesterday was a bit better as my doc class got to watch a roughcut of this documentary about a gay Christian camp in Minnesota and make some comments after the screening during a Q&A session w/ the editor and director. That was new and fun. What else was new and fun was yesterday while squatting on top of Vondy, I stuck my finger down my throat and tried to vomit on her. Why? Because she asked me to. Sick-o!!

LOVE
ALEX